The leader of Saint Lucia’s National Green Party (NGP), Andre ‘Pancho’ de Caires, has expressed strong support for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) legislation regarding arrests and extraditions.
“I think this is great legislation because we are all a CARICOM family and with the transportation of drugs and guns, if all islands work together we will be able to solve crime around the Caribbean,” de Caires told St. Lucia Times.
In a significant move to enhance law enforcement cooperation across the region, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley announced the development of “crucial model legislation” aimed at streamlining the processes of arrest and extradition among member states.
Addressing a two-day CARICOM meeting in Guyana on crime, Rowley said: “Our little criminal punks must now know that in every CARICOM territory, the law applies to them equally… as soon as we implement the laws with respect to warrants for their restraint apprehension in anticipation of successful prosecution, that there are no safe harbours in any of our CARICOM territories.”
The proposed legislation would establish a standardised legal framework to facilitate quicker and more efficient cooperation among law enforcement agencies across CARICOM.
Apprehending suspects fleeing to other countries can be mired in complexity due to differing legal systems, bureaucratic hurdles, and a lack of coordinated efforts.
However, NGP leader Andre de Caires pointed out historical challenges that CARICOM has faced, noting that previous efforts have sometimes faltered due to divisions among member states.
He referred to issues surrounding cannabis law reform led by Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Dean of Law at the University of the West Indies.
In this regard, de Caires expressed concern about the inconsistency in member countries’ responses to recommendations.
“It will take a little while to happen,” de Caires added concerning the regional arrest and extradition legislation. “I can’t think of a downside. We need to cooperate. This is a global problem with crime and I think we need to be proactive rather than reactive.”
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